"I've been counting whales and been on the water for 35 years. We've never had a large group like this ever," said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project.

The massive mammals were spread out over an area of up to 3 square miles and came within inches of boats as they poked their heads out of the waves, said David Anderson, who operates Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari sightseeing tours.

Sperm whales are the huge, toothed creatures mentioned in the novel "Moby Dick." They were hunted nearly to extinction for their oil in the 1800s.

The whales weigh up to 45 tons and eat about a ton of squid a day. They prefer to hunt in deep waters and can dive to 3,000 feet.